Hair play dolls are well known in the art and derived their name from the focus of play activity upon styling the doll's hair. One of the more popular types of hair play dolls, known generally in the art as "fashion dolls", often relies heavily upon very exaggerated and extreme hair play. Such fashion dolls utilize a small relatively thin high fashion doll body which supports a disproportionately long hair style. For the most part, such fashion dolls are clothed in garments which are relatively sophisticated, colorful and of high fashion design. A substantial portion of fashion doll hair play is intended to generally mimic and often exaggerate human hair grooming and hair ornamentation activities. For the most part, human grooming activities often focus substantially on various hair fasteners or hair tie apparatus. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,384 issued to Piers, Jr. Sets forth a FASTENER TIE having an elongated straps supporting a plurality of hook and loop fastener attachment pads. The elongated strap is ornament ed and is intended to retain or clasp a substantial quantity of hair drawn rearwardly upon the wearer's head. Such hair styles have often been known in the art as "pony tails".
U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,041 issued to Marcella sets forth HAIR FASTENERS AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME designed to fasten together a body of hair at the head of the wearer. The fastener includes an elongated endless stretchable elastic filament supporting a pair of elongated portions and a pair of flexible tag connected to opposed portions of the filament. Fastening means are provided for securing the tabs to each other in overlapping relation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,884 issued to Chap man et al sets forth a LOOP STRAP HAIR TIE used to fasten locks of hair into ponytails, braids or deadlocks. The hair tie includes a generally planar elongated material containing corresponding fastening surfaces at each end. Additionally the hair tie incorporates an elastic loop and friction pad to ensure that the hair tie securely attaches and remains in position on the lock of hair. Ornamentation such as jewelry, beads and ribbon may decorate the hair tie.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,585 issued to Soup sets forth a HEADBAND WITH PONYTAIL HOLDER includes an elongated member having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first generally U-shaped end having outwardly extending legs, and a second generally U-shaped end having corresponding outwardly extending legs. The headband further includes a pair of hook-and-loop type fasteners on each of the end pairs for overlapping attaching above and below the ponytail.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,575 issued to Rental sets forth a HAIR SECURING DEVICE having a fabric panel for wrapping about and enclosing a ponytail. A plurality of fastening bands having hook-and-loop attachment pads thereon are secured to the panel to complete its attachment about the ponytail.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,672 issued to Hans bury sets forth a HAIR RETAINING DEVICE formed of length of fabric or other sheet material and defining an elongated pocket suitable for receiving and supporting a conventional pipe cleaner. A gripping member is attached at the center portion of the fabric length for gripping the hair bundle. The malleable type cleaner is used to form the elongated strip about the ponytail hair.
Other types of hair grooming devices often utilize variations of combs which provide multiple functions in addition to hair combing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,130 issued to Kludge et al sets forth a COMB AND DISPENSER UNIT for grooming hair or fur. The unit includes a reservoir having an outwardly flared base with a flat bottom surface for stable support. A handle portion is coupled to the reservoir and includes a pump actuator in communication with the reservoir and a nozzle. A comb is coupled to a handle portion with teeth extending away from the handle. The nozzle is coupled to a portion of the comb for spraying fluid pumped from the reservoir into the hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,193 issued to Bunch et al sets forth a CONTINUOUS HAIR DYE DISPENSING DEVICE for continuous application of hair dye to a person's hair. A porous material is supported within a housing together with teeth made of the porous material such that capillary action transfers the dye to the porous material to the teeth. A reservoir supplies the fluid to the porous material for transfer by capillary action to the teeth. As the unit is combed through the hair, the dye is transferred from the teeth to the hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,298 issued to Bunch et al sets forth a DISPENSER FOR MULTI COMPONENT HAIR COSMETIC PRODUCTS having a tubular element including absorbent material in separate storage compartments therein. Each product is then supplied to the separate storage compartments. The device further includes a plurality of fines of absorbent material partially inserted into each of the storage compartments for transferring the fluid onto hair in a combing action.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,279 issued to Hochberg sets forth a BIRTH CONTROL DISPENSER IN THE FORM OF A HAIR BRUSH having a hair brush defining an interior cavity within which a quantity of pills are stored.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,765 issued to Lehmann et al sets forth a TOY TATTOO PLAYSET while U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,356 issued to Pizzelli et al sets forth a DECORATIVE TOY AND STORAGE UNIT WITH ATTACHABLE HOLDERS both of which represent illustrative examples of toy devices which utilize a transfer and attachment of a decorative or ornamental item to a doll or human participant.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have often improved the art and in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for ever more interesting, amusing and entertaining hair play dolls and apparatus.